A chief inspector in Cumbria has been recognised as one of the nation's greatest force leaders at an award ceremony.

Chief Inspector Graham Hawley was announced as the winner of the Leader of the Year award at a ceremony held last night (July 18) in Stoke-on-Trent which celebrated the best of the UK's control room employees.

Mr Hawley was recognised for his work in leading Cumbria Constabulary to 'consistent high call-answering performance', a spokesperson from the constabulary said.

They added: "Data this week revealed when it came to contacting the force, between April 2023 and March this year, nearly 95 per cent of 999 calls were answered within 10 seconds, while those dialling 101 for a non-emergency response in the current year are speaking to someone in less than five minutes in nearly 96 per cent of these calls.

"The Control Room Awards celebrate the skill, commitment, and resilience of individuals and teams working in control rooms.

"They recognise the vital contributions of control room operators across various services, including police, fire, ambulance, HM Coastguard, and other critical control operations throughout the UK."

Chief Superintendent Carl Patrick, Cumbria Constabulary’s Ops Command, said: “We are extremely proud of Graham and the work he has done in recent years leading our Command and Control Room.

“He very much deserves to be recognised on a national scale for his contribution to protecting and serving the people of Cumbria.

“Our Command and Control Room answer hundreds of emergency and non-emergency calls each day and are key to ensuring a swift and effective response to the public.

“Graham’s leadership, supported by a team of committed officers and staff, has enabled the force to be consistently one of the best in the country for call-answering times, which supports people in their hour of need.”

Cumbria’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner, David Allen, said: “Well done to Graham – he should be incredibly proud of himself. Being recognised nationally is an honour.

“The Command and Control Room is a very fast-paced environment that needs a strong and supportive leader to develop and thrive – which is exactly what Graham is.

“I’m pleased to see his achievements being acknowledged and celebrated.”